Washing machine



S. PATT.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13,1921.

Patented May 9, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES A77 BYM I A TTOR/VEYS S. PATT.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13.1921- WITNESSES r M? E w W l1 ITORNEYS S. PATT.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1921.

1 ,41 5 ,691 Patented May 9, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

4 ITORNEYS S. PATT.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3, I92].

1,415,691 I Patented May 9, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR JVLI/EJTERJQ'TZ f QZL I By A TTOR/IIEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVESTER PATT, OF WILLOU'G HBY, OHIO.

WASHING MACHINE Application filed May 18,

State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved \Vashing Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to washin machines and has for an object to provide an improved form of \vashboard or rubber which may be adjusted to properly rub different kinds of clothes so as to produce a proper cleaning action without injury to the clothes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine in which a pair of washboards are provided and arranged to give a rubbing action as the clothes pass therebetween.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of washing machine in which the water is forced through the clothes during the period that the clothes are being rubbed by certain parts of the machine.

An additional object is to provide a washing machine operated by power and formed in such a manner as to be readily adjusted to take in clothes at one side, wash the same and discharge the clothes out the other side in a continuous operation.

In the accompanying drawings-- Figure 1 is a side view of a washing machine disclosing one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the washing machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the washing machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4; is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine shown in Figure 1, the same being taken approximately on line 4 -4.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of the washboards embody ing certain features of the invention, the same being shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan View of the washboard shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through Figure 1 on line 7-7 Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one of the clutches shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings numeral, 1. indicates a suitable frame Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1922. 1921. serial No. 469,241.

' provided with suitable uprights and cross braces, said frame being supported by suitable casters 2. The device may be made from either metal or wood as preferred or a combination of'these materials. The frame 1 supports a tank or casing 3 which, in the present instance, is shown with two sections so as to make a double structure, though a single structure could be provided without departing from the spirit of the invention and in some cases more than two 'compartments could be used. The casing 3 extends upwardly to the top bar A: but is cut away at 5 and 6 (Fig. 4;)so as to provide an entrance and a discharge opening, saidopenings if desired being covered at any time with the doors 7 and 8. These doors are hinged to suitable cross braces of 1 and at one time act as a door for closing the openings 5 and 6 and another as an entrance and soaping platform in the case of member 7 and a discharge platform in the case of member 8. p

Associated with member 8 is an interior platform 9 which is perforated whereby water may drain back into the casing. 3 be fore the clothes pass to the platform 8. From platform 8 the clothes may be passed through a suitable wringer 10 of any preferred or usual construction connected to the I any desirable manner. The platform 11 is provided with openings for accommodating the respective rods 12 and 13 through which said rods slide. These rods are rigidly secured to a lower washboardor rubber 14 and are limited in their upward movement by suitable .nuts 15 and 16. It will be noted that these rods extend through guiding brackets 17 and 18 and between a number of guiding rollers 19 whereby the rods are correctly guided in their up and down movement though permitted a free movement at any time. A number of springs 20 are used for resiliently supporting the washboard '14, four being shown in the drawing though a greater or even less number could be used if desired. Also four of the posts 12 and 13 are shown though more or less could be used. The upper surface of the board 14 is corrugated so as to present a the framegood rubbing surface to the clothes as they pass through the machine. (lo-acting with the lower washboard 14 is an upper washboard 21 roughened on the lower surface as indicated in Figure 5 whereby a proper rubbing action may be secured and at the same time water admitted to the clothes as they are being operated upon. I

As indicated in Figures 5 and 6, the upper washboard 21 is provided with a body 22 having an open space or chamber 23 and a number of apertures 24, said apertures .being arranged in back of'the rounded projec downward and longitudinal direction simulcommodates the eccentric 42, said eccentric being rigidly secured to shaft 38 and rotatable therewith. Whenever shaft 38 rotates,

the upper washboard 21 will be moved in a 7O taneously and then back to the former position.v In order that the upper washboard may remain parallel with the lower washboard 14 during its movement, apivotally mounted arm 43 is provided and pivotally mounted at 44 on the frame 1, said arm carrying a roller 45-which rests on the upper surface of the washboard 21. A slot 46 is tion or a transverse corrugation 25. A cov-\provided in the upper end of arm 43 and accovering plate 26 will gravitate to the pipe 29 and will pass through said pipe to a suitable discharge point. The pipe 29 may extend to a point near the pinion 30 so as to supply the same with lubricant. The covering plate 26 is provided with an aperture 31 into which a fitting 32 projects, said fitting being also connected with the water pipe 33, which water pipe extends downwardly to the pump 34 whereby water may be pumped into the chamber 23 and then discharged out through the opening 24 onto the cloth between the two washboards. A pipe 35 is connected to the bottom ofthe casing 3 and leads to the pump 34 so that water may be pumped from the bottom of the casing into the pipe 33 and eventually be discharged on the clothes being washed. As the water passes through or drips off of the clothes, it will automatically find its way down into the lower part of the casing 3. In this way the water is used over and over as long as necessary and consequently, the detergent used will not be lost. A suitable valve 36 is arranged in pipe 35 so that the supply to the pump may be cut off at any time. A drain cock 37 is arranged in the bottom of the casing 3 whereby the casing may be drained at any time.

In order that the clothes may be properly rubbed at the same time that they are subjected to the wetting action of the water forced thereon, means are rovided for lowering and moving longitu inall the upper washboard 21, said movement eing somewhat on the nature of a gyratory movement. In order to secure the movement desired, a shaft 38 is supported by brackets 39 and 40 on the frame. 1.

As indicated in Figure 3 the shaft 38 extends entirely across both compartments of the machine but as the compartments are identical, the description of one will apply to both. Connected with the upper washboard 21 is ajournal seat 41 having a comparatively large opening therein which accommodates a pin 47 extending through the bifurcation 48 of rod 49. The slot 46 permits' the bifurcation 48 to'be adjusted longitudinally of the arm 43 so as to vary the throw of said arm.' Preferably, the parts are set so that the arm 43 will never pass the vertical line. Rod 49 at the opposite end is provided with a'strap 5O surrounding the eccentric 51, which eccentric is rigidly secured to the shaft 38 whereby the rod 49. and associated parts will operate simultaneously with the eccentric 42 arranged in member 41. As the eccentric 42 causes the Wash board 29 to move downwardly and also and the friction in rubbing is regulated by regulating the springs 20. For very light clothes'the springs are comparatively light while the springs are of a medium strength where ordinary clothes are to be washed and much stronger springs are provided if coarse clothes are to be washed, as for instance, overalls. The springs 20 may be secured or mounted in place by any suitable form of fixture on the bar 11 or the washboard 14.

The shaft 38 receives power from the gear wheel 52 which in turn receives power from the pinion 53 secured to shaft 54. A clutch member 55 is rigidly secured to shaft 54 and is adapted to be engaged or brought in mesh 116 with the clutch member 56 operated by a pivotally mounted handle 57. A shaft 58 is connected with the clutch member 56 so as to rotate the same whenever the shaft rotates, said shaft also carrying a pinion 59 and pin- 120 ion 30. Pinion 30 meshes with a gear wheel 60 secured to shaft 61, which shaft carries a splined clutch member 62 operated by a" band lever 63. This clutch member is adaptshaft 69 of the electric motor 70. WhQQG Q .30

the respective clutches are interlocked,

power w1ll be transmitted to shaft 38 for rotating the same whenever motor 70 is operating. A pinion 71 meshes with gear wheel 66, said inion being secured to the'pump shaft 72 or operatin the pump 34 whereby the pump operates whenever the motor is in operation. A inion 73 meshes with pinion 59 (Fig. 1) said pinion 73 being rigidlysecured to shaft 74 which carries a clutch member 75. A clutch member 76 is splined on shaft 77 and is operable by the lever 78 so as to be brought into and out of engagement with the clutch member 75. A pinion 79 is secured toshaft 77 and meshes'with pinion '80 which is secured to the shaft 81 carrying a second pinion 82 meshing with the pinion 83 secured to one of the shafts of the wringer 84. This wringer may be of any desired kind and is operated whenever shaft 81 is rotated. The frame of the wringer is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the bracket 85, which bracket is rotatably mounted on the shaft 81 and is formed with a number of notches 86 adapted to receive a lockin pin 87. This pin is provided with a hand fever 88 '(Fig. 7) so that it may be moved against the action of spring 89 to release the bracket 85 whereby the bracket and the entire wringervmay be swung around to any position around the shaft 81. A suitable bracket 90 is secured to the frame 1 and acts as means for supporting bracket 85 and the wr1nger'84 while allowing these members to rotate around shaft 81 when not' locked the catch or pin '87. It will be noted that the wringer is positioned so that the clothes from the latform 8 may be readily transferred to t e platform 91 of the wringer and caused to pass through the wringer.

In operation a deslred supply of water is provided in the casing 3 and if desired liquid or other soap may be provided in the water as a detergent The motor 7 is then started and a supply of clothes is placed on the platform 7. Preferably, these clothes are first'wet and soap placed thereon by hand, after' which, they are fedin between the washboards 14 and 21. If only one person is using the machine clothes may be fed into the machine on one side and then the operator may pass around to platform 8 and transfer the clothes to the wringer as they pass onto the platform 8. If two persons are operating the machine, a continuous supply and discharge of clothes may be provided and the washing action will, therefore, be continuous.

What ,I'claim is 1. In a washing machine of the character described a casing, a pair of washboards arrangedin said casing and adapted to co-act for washing clothes, resilient means-for resiliently supporting one of said washboards in a given position, a plurality of rods for guiding said last mentioned washboard in a reciprocatory movement with and against 4 said resilient means, means for guiding said rods, means for supplying a washing fluid to the clothes between said washboards, and means for moving said upper washboard downwardly toward the lower washboard,

mentioned end downwardly, and means for swinging said swinging member in proper time with the movement of said eccentric.

3.- In a washing machine of the character described a plurality of washboards, mechanism for actuating the upper washboard so as to give the same a gyratory movement,

said upper washboard having a border flange merging to a point at one end, and 'a tube' extending from said point to a discharge point for leading 011 deposited on the upper surface of said top washboard to a desired point.

SYLVESTER PATT, 

